Social networks have become a means for disseminating information on health‐related matters. Describe the characteristics and analyze the dermatology content’s accuracy most often shared on the most popular social networks. The content most often shared on social networks (Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Reddit) between March 2019 and March 2020 was analyzed using acne, alopecia/hair loss, psoriasis, eczema, melanoma, skin cancer, rash, and rosacea. The researchers collected the total number of interactions, skin disease, topic, and origin from each record. The content was analyzed and was categorized as precise, confusing, or imprecise based on the scientific evidence available.
A total of 385 websites were included. About 44.7% of the shared content was rated as imprecise, 20% as confusing, and 35.3% precise. The records classified as approximate obtained a higher mean number of interactions (P < 0.05). But they didn’t find any differences in terms of the level of certainty and the dermatosis studied, whereas they did exist concerning their topic and origin. Of the contents classified as imprecise, the most frequent topic and sources were “alternative medicines” and “individual opinions, articles not affiliated with health institutions, nor peer-reviewed,” respectively. The majority of the contents often shared on social networks are below acceptable quality standards. Strategies are needed to discredit imprecise information and promote the dissemination of evidence‐based dermatology information.
Ref: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijd.15254
